Short stories about the lives of the residents of Camden Corners. A village in Upstate New York at the beginning of the 20th Century. You will meet old friends time and again and new friends and neighbors with each story. Share the many tales of love, romance, family and friends as well as a few mysteries thrown in for good measure.
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The Silver Chalice

Will,
Kate, Alma and Melvin were enjoying one of the few remaining summer
nights on the porch of the vicarage. It had been an eventful day.
Will and Kate had become engaged and were going to be married this
coming Saturday. Two orphaned boys were sleeping soundly in the
bedroom upstairs. Will was sure it was the first real bed they'd
ever slept in.

Kate
spoke aloud “I can't help but wonder if somewhere the boy's mothers
aren't frantically looking for their children.”

Melvin
spoke up “From what little Billy said tonight, I don't believe
anyone is looking for them. I am under the impression that the boys
are from New York City. New York is a fascinating and exciting city
but the poverty is overwhelming. The wealthy have a tendency to
believe that if someone can't take care of themselves they deserve
the life they live. There are more children like Butch and Billy
than we can imagine. Some whose parents have died from industrial
accidents, illnesses or the bottle. Some who simply have too many
children at home and abandon the older ones because there isn't
enough food to feed them all. Many of these children's mothers are
mere children themselves. Butch and Billy are both intelligent boys.
Most of these youngsters are not as well spoken as either of them.
I would guess it is Billy who is the observer and recognizes the
proper way of speaking and conducting himself. I believe, in spite
of his questionable beginning, he has the promise of a brighter
future. Of course, that would be more easily attained if he were to
be adopted by the two of you.”

Kate's
heart was breaking for all the lost children. She knew she couldn't
solve all of their troubles but she was determined to make a
difference with the two boys upstairs. She and Will walked to the
bedroom and watched them sleeping soundly. Kate pulled the covers up
over Butch. She knew Billy considered himself too old for tucking in
but she gently patted his head. She thought she saw him smile and
hoped he was having a nice dream. A tear rolled down her cheek as
Will gave her a hug. He knew he had found his very own angel and she
would soon be his wife.

While
Butch and Billy were sleeping peacefully, Angus Keefe was frantically
searching the passenger car he had been riding in since he left New
York City. The train pulled into the station in St. Louis an hour
ago. Angus couldn't believe he had lost the chalice. His chalice.
After years of hearing about the Mount Keefe Silver Chalice he was
finally bringing it to it's rightful home. His home, Angus Liam
Keefe. Direct descendent of Liam Shamus Keefe. The chalice was
given to Liam by the artist in the late sixteenth century. His
brother, Cain persuaded Liam to donate it to St. Patrick's Church in
Dublin and there it had been all these years. Angus firmly believed
the chalice should be his and traveled to Dublin several months ago.
He spotted the chalice and at just the right moment, grabbed it out
of the Father O'Connor's hands as he was celebrating holy communion.
He ran from the church to his rented room, placed the chalice in the
satchel he carried with him and was on the boat headed for New York
before nightfall.

When
the ship arrived in New York, he boarded the train for his home in
St. Louis. Everything had gone so smoothly he was celebrating his
success with a bit of port. The satchel was strapped to his arm but
he found it difficult to eat his meal without the use of his right
hand. He removed the strap intending to place it back on his wrist
after dinner but was so enjoying his port, he fell asleep with the
satchel unsecured.

“I've
been robbed” Angus shouted.

Early
the next morning Alma was in the kitchen stirring pancake batter.
Ham and bacon were frying on the stove. The Vicar, still sleepy from
a late night, wondered how Alma did what she did. She wasn't a young
woman anymore and here she was bright eyed and busy as a bee.

“Good
morning Will, did you sleep well? Kate was up with the birds this
morning, she has gone to the telegraph office to wire her parents
about the wedding. I hope you aren't disappointed that it won't be a
big, glamorous affair?”

“As
long as your granddaughter becomes my wife, I don't care what kind of
wedding it is. I just hope it isn't a disappointment to Kate.”

With
that Kate entered the kitchen. “I would think the mother of two
would have more things on her mind than a big fancy wedding. I just
want to marry my sons' father.”

They
all laughed including Oscar Crowley who Kate happened to run into on
her way home.

“I've
told Oscar all about the boys and he wants to talk with them. He
thinks, if the boys agree, there shouldn't be a problem adopting
them. He knows the Judge who would hear our case and thinks it would
go smoothly. Oh Will, I hope you haven't changed your mind. I have
already spoken to Nettie and she has offered to tutor the boys so
they will be able to attend school in just a few months.”

“You
have been busy this morning, haven't you? No, I haven't changed my
mind. In fact, I haven't thought of anything else all night. Now,
let's go wake up our sons so we can all sit down to this wonderful
meal Great Grandmother, Alma has prepared.”

Upstairs,
two boys were waking up

“Hey
Butch, what did you do with that satchel you swiped from that guy on
the train?”

“Golly
Billy, I forgot about that. I think I dropped it when we jumped off
the train. It was just some dumb old cup anyway. I thought it was
the man's lunch and I was really hungry. Billy, I think I smell
bacon.”

Will
tapped on the door telling the boys it was time to get up and come
down for breakfast. They arrived in the dining room and saw Oscar
Crowley. He greeted them in a deep voice. For an instant Billy was
afraid Will really did call the sheriff on them but he saw the smile
on the old gentleman's face and sat down folding his hands and bowing
his head waiting for grace to be said. After breakfast, Oscar, Will
and Kate called the boys into the parlor. Oscar wanted to know how
they would feel about staying with Will for the next few days and
Kate after the ceremony on Saturday.

“On
Monday morning we will go to visit with a judge to see about Will and
Kate being your new mother and father. Do you think you would like
that?”

Butch
was beaming. “You would be our Ma and Pa? Billy, did you hear
that? It's even better than what you asked God for.”

Billy,
didn't say a word for a few seconds. He glanced around the room and
then said

“You
know what Pa, you were right about God, you can't see Him but you
know He is there.” Everybody hugged and cried and laughed.

Oscar
was beaming as he entered the Antique Shop.

“Sometimes
things just work out as they should” he told Nettie.

Nettie
was beaming herself. “Richard and Robert stopped by this morning.
They asked us to join them and Emma and Lily tonight at the Trattoria
for an early supper. The girls have been giggling all morning. I
hope it's what I think it is and they have announcements to make.”

“It's
about time” grumbled Oscar. “If I dragged my feet with their
mother as they are doing, they never would have been born.”

Everyone
was right on time that evening. Rosa had a bottle of champagne
waiting for them as they sat at the table. Richard began the
conversation by saying they would like Oscar and Nettie's help in
planning a double wedding ceremony for them. After congratulations,
handshakes and hugs, Lily said they thought a Christmas wedding would
be nice.

“Christmas!”
cried Oscar. “That's three months away. Haven't you kept me
waiting for grandchildren long enough and you want to wait another
three months?”

Nettie
put her hand over his trying to calm him down.

Emma
thought for a moment and then said “Would the first day of autumn
suit you any better Father?”

“Now,
here's a girl who makes sense. I'd rather the wedding were tomorrow
but I suppose I can wait one more week.”

Everyone
laughed at Oscar's impatience but they all agreed the sooner they
were married the happier they would be.

After
dinner, Oscar and Nettie excused themselves. They thought they'd
head home to check on Polly and Faith. It was only a matter of time
before Polly and Faith started a new life with Randy Burke. That was
what Nettie wanted for the girl who had become like a daughter to her
but she would miss them terribly.

The
young people decided to take a walk along the beach before heading
home. Richard and Robert were reminiscing about their Dad while they
were growing up. Although he was an extremely busy attorney and the
only one within 50 miles back then, he always found time to be with
his family. Both boys looked up to him and were very happy when some
of Oscar's old clients compared them to father.

“The
least we can do for the old man is give him a houseful of
grandchildren.” Robert said with a twinkle in his eye.

“I'm
all for that” replied Lily, her eyes flashing back at him.

Richard
noted that Emma looked a little sad. “What's wrong, dear? You
aren't having second thoughts about marrying me are you?”

“Don't
be silly Richard. I can't wait to marry you. It's just that I don't
have any family anymore. I was thinking of how happy my grandfather
would have been to have a great grandchild.”

Lily
spoke up. “Emma, there are so many people in Camden Corners who
think of you as family. Nettie would be so hurt if she heard you
talk that way, you know she thinks of both of us as daughters.”

Emma
shook her head in agreement and was a little ashamed to be sounding
so selfish. Richard squeezed her hand. At that moment, she began to
fall. Richard grabbed her arm to catch her. She had stumbled on
something half buried in the sand. She picked it up.

“This
looks like a silver chalice and by the feel of it, I suspect it's
quite old. There is some kind of writing on the bottom but it's too
dark to make it out. Let's take it back to the shop, I'm curious as
to what it says.”

When
they entered the shop and turned on the light Emma realized the
writing was in Latin.

“Nice
to have an attorney around when you need one. Let's see how much of
your Latin you remember.”

Richard
read the words COK.ME.FIERI.FECIT.ANNO.DOMINI. 1590. Together
the Crowleys translated the words into English COK had me made in
the year of the Lord 1590.

Emma
and Lily knew they had found a very valuable work of art. It would
be a busy day tomorrow what with planning a wedding in just a couple
of weeks and researching this silver chalice that they stumbled upon.

Still
ranting and raving over his missing satchel, Angus was close to
strangling the conductor if he didn't tell him who could have stolen
his property. The conductor did remember chasing two boys off the
train and he may have seen a satchel flying through the air when they
jumped. Finally he remembered it was just as they were coming into
Camden Corners. He warned the Camden Corners station master, Lionel
Cotton that the boys might try hopping on the next train and to keep
an eye out for them.

Angus
was at the ticket counter within minutes. He would track down those
ruffians if it was the last thing he did. After all his hard work
getting the chalice back to its rightful owner, he was not about to
lose it now.